Three Layer Vessel

ABSTRACT

A three layer vessel has: a vessel body; a first liner connected to the vessel body and configured within the vessel body; an outside gap formed between the first liner in the vessel body, the outside gap is at least partially evacuated to a lower pressure than atmospheric air pressure; a second liner connected to the vessel body and configured within the first liner; an inside gap formed between the first liner in the second liner; a thermal conductive fluid held within the inside gap; a vessel body rim is formed on the vessel body with the vessel body connects to the first liner. The vessel body rim has a vessel body rim joint connecting a first liner to the vessel body neck; and a first vertical portion is formed on the second liner, when the first vertical portion flares outwardly to a horizontal portion.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to an insulated beverage vessel body, but more specifically, to a three layer vessel device body.

DISCUSSION RELATED ART

Existing beverage containers are generally of a single or double stainless steel structure and often have defects such as poor insulation and lack of inertness. For example, stainless steel utensils and containers generally used for single or double layer insulation vessels may have reactions with food such as dairy products or may react with high acidity drinks such as lemonade. Previously, a variety of containers have used liquid in glass or ceramic liners, but this in turn leads to limitations on insulating properties and other drawbacks.

A variety of phase change materials can also maintain the temperature of a beverage vessel like microwave receptive phase change materials, such as those described by inventor Wayne Baldwin in expired U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,744 issued Feb. 1, 1997, entitled Double-Walled Microwave Cup With Microwave Receptive Material, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Inventor Baldwin describes a beverage container having a large annular reservoir of phase change material.

Phase change material has been described as being used with vacuum containers. For example, in United States patent publication 2009/0283533 published Nov. 19, 2009 entitled Thermodynamic Container by inventor Hemminger, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, a thermal buffer phase change material is used with an insulation such as a vacuum. Although many attempts have been made at making a usable highly insulative beverage container, viable commercialization has lagged due to a variety of technical difficulties such as management of the thermal liquid which sometimes has led to leaks and seal failures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the invention is to provide good thermal insulation for a three layer vessel without leaks and seal failures. A three-layer vessel, which has a vessel body and a body with device ports, includes a sleeve disposal in the container body of the first liner and the liner sleeve is provided on the first of the second liner, the first liner and the second liner has an internal thread bushing mouth. The mouth and body are sealed by the respective device ports connected to the device port of the container body. The first body and the internal thread bushing mouth vessel body are located between the outer body. A space is formed between the second body internal thread bushing mouth and internal thread bushing mouth of the first body. An inner space is formed between the vacuum space between the internal spacing, which is filled with thermal conductive fluid.

Preferably, a cooling fluid is included as a thermal conductive fluid. Also preferably, the hydrothermal system uses thermal conductive fluid. Preferably, the internal thread bushing mouth second liner is made of stainless steel or titanium alloy. Preferably, when the second internal thread bushing mouth on the top edge of the container body is open, the first open internal thread bushing mouth is welded to the inner wall of the container body opening located below the top edge position.

Preferably, the mouth of the container body is an externally threaded port. The second port is an internal thread bushing mouth configured within the threaded sleeve nut on the external thread of the mouth opening. The inner thread sleeve cap releasably attaches to the top edge of the container body. The inner wall of the first opening internal thread bushing mouth can be welded at the mouth of the container body.

The objective of the invention are to provide a container body with a three layer vessel structure design with a first interior space and a second liner. The first interior space is between the liner and the container body and is filled with a vacuum. A pure vacuum is not required and low-pressure air can also provide strong insulating properties. The inner space between the first and second liner is filled in between with a thermal conductive fluid for keeping drinks cool. Preferably, the thermal conductive fluid may be used as a heat sink. The second liner keeps drinks cool, and the thermal conductive fluid may double as a hydrothermal system.

The second liner containment plays a role in heating drinks as well. A second stainless steel internally threaded bushing mouth can be made of a chemically inert material such as a titanium ceramic. The liner can be made entirely through welding and the container can be made by deep drawing and body binding to provide structural stability and durability. Optionally, the first liner can be welded to the container body. Similarly, a second liner can be attached to the container body and the container body threaded portion, so as to allow for easy disassembly, cleaning, replacement, and maintenance of the inside liner.

A three layer vessel has: a vessel body; a first liner connected to the vessel body and configured within the vessel body; an outside gap formed between the first liner in the vessel body, the outside gap is at least partially evacuated to a lower pressure than atmospheric air pressure; a second liner connected to the vessel body and configured within the first liner; an inside gap formed between the first liner in the second liner; a thermal conductive fluid held within the inside gap; a vessel body rim is formed on the vessel body with the vessel body connects to the first liner. The vessel body rim has a vessel body rim joint connecting a first liner to the vessel body neck; and a first vertical portion is formed on the second liner, when the first vertical portion flares outwardly to a horizontal portion.

The horizontal portion has a second liner joint that seals the second liner to the vessel body rim. The thermal conductive fluid acts as a cooling fluid. The thermal conductive fluid is a phase change material that changes phase between liquid and solid phases. The outside gap further includes a desiccant inserted at a bottom surface of the outside gap. A pressure relief protrusion is formed on the first liner and located in the inside gap. The pressure relief protrusion decreases in size to accommodate changes in pressure of the thermal conductive fluid. The horizontal portion of the second liner is welded to an upper edge of the vessel body rim. The horizontal portion of the second liner forms an annular pocket that holds a waterproof gasket, where the second liner joint is the waterproof gasket. The waterproof gasket engages the vessel body rim.

The horizontal portion continues to a second vertical portion. The second vertical portion has a larger diameter than the first vertical portion. The horizontal portion continues to a third vertical portion. The second vertical portion and the first vertical connect at a bushing indented portion. The body portion meets the upper rim portion at a vessel body shoulder. The vessel body shoulder bends inward to a smaller diameter than the body portion of the vessel body. Further including a shoulder ridge formed above the shoulder, the shoulder ridge has shoulder ridge vertical portion that meets the third vertical portion. A ridge seam is formed between the third vertical portion and the shoulder ridge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-section diagram of the welded configuration of the three layer vessel.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section diagram of the retrofit configuration of the three layer vessel.

FIG. 3 is a close-up cross-section diagram of the welded configuration of the three layer vessel before the addition of the second liner.

FIG. 4 is a close-up cross-section diagram of the retrofit configuration of the three layer vessel before the addition of the second liner.

FIG. 5 is a close-up cross-section diagram of the welded configuration of the three layer vessel after the addition of the second liner.

FIG. 6 is a close-up cross-section diagram of the retrofit configuration of the three layer vessel after the addition of the second liner.

The following call out list of elements can be a useful guide in referencing the elements of the drawings.

-   11 Three Layer Vessel -   12 Vessel Body -   13 First Liner -   14 Second Liner -   15 First Liner Body -   16 Outside Gap -   17 Second Liner Body -   18 Inside Gap -   19 Thermal Conductive Fluid -   20 Opening Of Second Liner -   21 Opening Of First Liner -   22 Vessel Body External Threads -   23 Internally Threaded Bushing -   24 Waterproof Gasket -   25 Upper Rim -   26 Midline -   27 Body Portion -   28 Bottom Pad -   29 Desiccant -   31 Vessel Body Rim -   32 Vessel Body Neck -   33 Vessel Body Shoulder -   34 First Protrusion -   35 Second Protrusion -   36 Vessel Body Depression -   41 Annular Pocket -   42 Second Vertical Portion -   43 Third Vertical Portion -   44 Second Liner Joint -   45 Vessel Body Rim Connection -   46 Bushing Indented Portion -   47 First Vertical Portion -   48 Horizontal Portion -   51 Shoulder Ridge -   53 Shoulder Ridge Vertical Portion -   54 Pressure Relief Protrusion

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is described in FIGS. 1-4, showing a three layer vessel 11. The three layer vessel includes an outside layer, a middle layer, and an inside layer. The vessel body 12 is the outside layer, the first liner 13 is the middle layer and the second liner 14 is the inner layer. The vessel body 12 is exposed to the environment, and the first liner 13 is sandwiched between the vessel body 12 and the second liner 14. The vessel body 12, first liner 13, and the second liner 14 preferably have a coaxial alignment along the midline 26 to provide rotational symmetry. A thermally conductive fluid such as a thermal buffer phase change material, or a non-phase change material is retained between the first liner 13 and the second liner 14. The second liner 14 can be made of ceramic, glass, stainless steel, aluminum or a titanium alloy.

The three layers of the three layer vessel are connected to each other at an upper rim of the three layer vessel 11. The three layer vessel 11 has an upper rim portion and a body portion. The inside gap 18 is formed between the first liner 13 and the second liner 14. The outside gap 16 is formed between the first liner 13 and the vessel body 12. The inner liners such as the first liner 13 and the second liner 14 can be made of titanium alloy.

The liners can be mounted to liner bodies for optional increased rigidity. The liner bodies are structural elements form of deep drawn metal that can be used to increase rigidity of the liners when the liners are laminated to the liner bodies. The first liner 13 can be laminated to a first liner body 15 and the second liner 14 can be laminated to a second liner body 17. When fully assembled, the body portion is preferably 190 mm tall and sits on a bottom pad 28 that can be padded or not such as by being made of foam. The inside gap 18 and the outside gap 16 can be 4-5 mm in thickness.

The thermal conductive fluid 19 can be a phase change material that freezes when cold and melts when warm. The thermal conductive fluid can be configured to keep coffee warm for example. As the vessel loses heat to the external environment, the thermal conductive fluid slowly cools, then freezes at a desired temperature such as 97° Fahrenheit, for example. On the other hand, the thermal conductive fluid can be configured to keep ice tea cool and being designed to phase change at 1.5° C. and 36° C. for example.

As seen in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, the opening of the second liner 20 is formed as a rim with an edge that is welded along a circumferential periphery to the vessel body 12. Similarly, the opening of the first liner 21 also formed as a rim. The first liner 21 is welded to the vessel body 12 before the second minor 20 is welded to the vessel body 12 at the upper rim area 25 of the vessel body 12.

As seen in FIGS. 2, 4, 6, the container body has vessel body external threads 22. The second port is an internally threaded bushing collar with a sleeve shaped inner thread that engages an externally threaded portion 23 and the internal thread provides a mouthpiece cap on the top edge of the container body at the mouth of the waterproof gasket 24 such as an O-ring or a rubber gasket, the first of internal thread bushing mouth port is welded to the inner wall of the container body on the mouth.

Manufacturing the three layer vessel preferably begins with a stainless steel housing and a stainless steel liner layer. The layers of the three layer vessel may be thinner than in a two layer vessel to conserve and preserve space. The third layer of the material liner can also be of stainless steel and coated for resisting corrosion or chemical interaction with food and beverage.

The three layer vessel can be first made as a double layer vacuum vessel with the vessel body 12 and the first liner 13 joined at a vessel body rim 31. Preferably, the vessel body rim 31 is a flat laminated upper portion of the vessel body 12 that is circumferentially bonded to the first liner 13 in an airtight seal at a vessel body rim connection 45 that can be formed as a first liner weld. The vessel body rim 31 preferably does not have a gap. The vessel body rim 31 is connected to a vessel body neck 32. The vessel body neck 32 has a gap that is preferably a vacuum gap of evacuated low pressure vacuum. The vessel body neck 32 is formed above the vessel body shoulder 33. The vessel body shoulder extends downwardly to the main portion of the vessel body 27.

The vessel body neck 32 has a corrugated profile that can be vessel body external threads 22. The vessel body external threads 22 can receive a threaded lid. The external threads 22 include at least a first protrusion 34 and a second protrusion 35 with a depression 36 formed between the first protrusion in the second protrusion. The first protrusion 34 and the second protrusion 35 have a major diameter while the depression 36 has a minor diameter. The first protrusion 34 and the second protrusion 35 are shaped like crests of a threaded rod while the depression 36 is shaped as a root of a threaded rod.

As seen in FIGS. 4, 6, the internally threaded bushing 23 has a bushing indented portion 46 that engages the depression 36 in a threaded engagement when the second liner 14 is installed over the external threads 22 of the vessel body neck 32. The second liner 14 can be screwed onto the vessel body neck 32. The second liner 14 has an annular pocket 41 where the second liner joint 44 connects the second liner 14 to the upper portion of the vessel body rim 31. The second liner 14 also has a second vertical portion 42 that extends downwardly from the second liner joint 44. The second vertical portion 42 continues to a third vertical portion 43. The third vertical portion 43 is defined below the bushing indented portion 46 while the second vertical portion 42 is defined above the bushing indented portion 46.

The second liner 14 also has a first vertical portion 47 that extends downwardly from the second liner joint 44. The first vertical portion 47 is parallel to the second vertical portion 42 and the third vertical portion 43. Between the second vertical portion 42 and the first vertical portion 47, a waterproof gasket 24 is installed so that it seals the vessel body rim 31 to retain heat transfer within the vessel body. The waterproof gasket can be formed of a variety of different materials such as an elastomeric O-ring, a wax ring, or a rubber gasket.

Alternatively, as seen in FIGS. 3, 5, instead of using a waterproof gasket 24, a horizontal portion 48 of the second liner 14 can extend outwardly from the first vertical portion 47. The first vertical portion 47 flares outwardly in a circumferentially extended flange that ends at the horizontal portion 48. The horizontal portion 48 has a circular profile and overlies the vessel body rim 31. The second liner joint 44 can also be formed as a horizontal circular weld that secures the horizontal portion 48 to the vessel body rim 31.

The first vertical portion 47 extends outwardly at an upper end of the first vertical portion 47 at the upper rim 25. However, on the main body portion of the first vertical portion 47, the first vertical portion 47 can have an inward taper tapering toward the midline 26.

A shoulder ridge 51 can be formed above the shoulder 33. The shoulder ridge 51 forms a second shoulder above the shoulder 33. The shoulder 33 is a bend in the vessel body 12 where the vessel body 12 decreases in diameter from a larger diameter to a smaller diameter. The vessel body 12 generally has a larger diameter while the vessel body rim 31 has a smaller diameter. The shoulder bend is below a shoulder ridge 51. The shoulder ridge 51 has a shoulder ridge vertical portion 53 which has a diameter between the larger diameter and the smaller diameter. The shoulder ridge 51 is another bend in the vessel body 12 where the vessel body 12 decreases in diameter from the larger diameter of the shoulder bend towards the smaller diameter of the vessel body rim 31. The shoulder ridge vertical portion 53 preferably has roughly the same diameter as the third vertical portion 43 of the second liner 14. The shoulder ridge vertical portion 53 meets with the third vertical portion 43 at a shoulder ridge seam. The shoulder ridge seam can be left open, or closed with an elastic gasket such as a shoulder ridge elastic gasket for example.

Phase change materials and thermal capacitance materials that do not change phase have varying coefficient of thermal expansion where some items expand or contract greatly in response to changes in temperature. Accordingly, the stiffness of the waterproof gasket 24 and the shoulder ridge seam gasket should be softer when necessary to accommodate a large coefficient of thermal expansion. Where the phase change material or thermal capacitance material has relatively no thermal expansion or contraction, it should not be a problem to weld the second liner 14 to a top edge of the vessel body rim 31 as seen in FIG. 5.

Additionally, a pressure relief protrusion 54 can be made as a flexible portion of stainless steel and centered on the midline 26 to provide a pressure relief for thermal expansion and thermal contraction. Alternatively, the pressure relief protrusion 54 can be formed as a plastic bladder for example that is completely contained within the inside gap 18. Where the plastic bladder is adhered to an inside surface of the first liner 13. A plastic air filled bladder may be necessary when the second liner 14 is welded to a top edge of the vessel body rim 31 and the thermal conductive fluid 19 has a substantial volume change when undergoing a phase change or temperature change.

The above described features of the present invention are preferred possible embodiments and the claims shall not be confined to the scope of above description. Persons of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate a variety of different modifications that may be shown from the description and the accompanying drawings. 

1. A three layer vessel comprising: a) a vessel body having a body portion and an upper rim portion; b) a first liner connected to the vessel body and configured within the vessel body; c) an outside gap formed between the first liner in the vessel body, wherein the outside gap is at least partially evacuated to a lower pressure than atmospheric air pressure; d) a second liner connected to the vessel body and configured within the first liner; e) an inside gap formed between the first liner in the second liner; f) a thermal conductive fluid held within the inside gap; g) a vessel body rim is formed on the vessel body with the vessel body connects to the first liner, wherein the vessel body rim has a vessel body rim joint connecting a first liner to the vessel body neck; and h) a first vertical portion is formed on the second liner, when the first vertical portion flares outwardly to a horizontal portion, wherein the horizontal portion has a second liner joint that seals the second liner to the vessel body rim.
 2. The three layer vessel of claim 1, wherein the thermal conductive fluid acts as a cooling fluid.
 3. The three layer vessel of claim 1, wherein the thermal conductive fluid is a phase change material that changes phase between liquid and solid phases.
 4. The three layer vessel of claim 1, wherein the outside gap further includes a desiccant inserted at a bottom surface of the outside gap.
 5. The three layer vessel of claim 1, wherein a pressure relief protrusion is formed on the first liner and located in the inside gap, wherein the pressure relief protrusion decreases in size to accommodate changes in pressure of the thermal conductive fluid.
 6. The three layer vessel of claim 1, wherein the horizontal portion of the second liner is welded to an upper edge of the vessel body rim.
 7. The three layer vessel of claim 1, wherein the horizontal portion of the second liner forms an annular pocket that holds a waterproof gasket, wherein the second liner joint is the waterproof gasket, wherein the waterproof gasket engages the vessel body rim.
 8. The three layer vessel of claim 7, wherein the thermal conductive fluid acts as a cooling fluid.
 9. The three layer vessel of claim 7, wherein the thermal conductive fluid is a phase change material that changes phase between liquid and solid phases.
 10. The three layer vessel of claim 7, wherein the outside gap further includes a desiccant inserted at a bottom surface of the outside gap.
 11. The three layer vessel of claim 7, wherein a pressure relief protrusion is formed on the first liner and located in the inside gap, wherein the pressure relief protrusion decreases in size to accommodate changes in pressure of the thermal conductive fluid.
 12. The three layer vessel of claim 7, wherein the horizontal portion continues to a second vertical portion, wherein the second vertical portion has a larger diameter than the first vertical portion.
 13. The three layer vessel of claim 12, wherein the horizontal portion continues to a third vertical portion, wherein the second vertical portion and the first vertical connect at a bushing indented portion, wherein the bushing indented portion is helically shaped.
 14. The three layer vessel of claim 12, wherein the bushing indented portion engages a vessel body external thread comprising at least a first protrusion thread formed above a second protrusion thread with a depression between the first protrusion thread and the second protrusion thread, wherein the bushing indented portion engages the depression of the vessel body external thread, wherein the vessel body external thread is externally threaded and wherein the bushing indented portion is internally threaded.
 15. The three layer vessel of claim 14, wherein the body portion meets the upper rim portion at a vessel body shoulder, wherein the vessel body shoulder bends inward to a smaller diameter than the body portion of the vessel body.
 16. The three layer vessel of claim 15, Further including a shoulder ridge formed above the shoulder, wherein the shoulder ridge has shoulder ridge vertical portion that meets the third vertical portion, wherein a ridge seam is formed between the third vertical portion and the shoulder ridge. 